U of L at Lafayette housing (Many, Iowa: section 8, 2009, apartment complex)

[bridgetsmom]

Iowa farm girl heading for Lafayette in August. No on-campus grad housing available...where shall I go, what shall I do? University House seems to be attractive housing - is it? What neighborhoods near campus are desirable, which ones should I avoid? It's just too far to zip down there to snoop around. Please, I'd love all suggestions!

[Innotech]

Actually, the University House apartments on Theatre Street off of West congress and Bertrand are very very safe and really nice and large. A bit on the expensive side, but worth it for a place to stay that isnt far from campus. Its quite a distance though if youd want to walk as this town isnt setup very well for mass transit. there are buses to take you to ULL though from the university house and other places close to campus.
Youll be right across the street basically from the Cajundome, which is the main entertainment venue in Lafayette, so thats pretty neat. Also plenty of places down West congress of you get hungry or need to shop.

Another apartment complex that is really nice is Bayou Shadows, which is just a bit further down the road from University house on Westwood Drive. It is sprawling and quite safe. I have several friends living there. that whole area is quite safe to explore and heavily trafficked most times of the day.

Avoid the new place called "The Quarters". Even though it is very very nice and brand new campus housing, it is in a dangerous area right near the Strip on Stewart Street and one of my friends who stayed there said she has heard gunshots.

In general, avoid the neighborhoods on the opposite side of University Ave from the ULL Campus. It is basically filled with bars, clubs (this is the Strip), and all the problems those entail. Directly around campus I am not familiar enough with those neighborhoods to say which is best but generally the whole area around ULL besides University is pretty safe. You can walk around most places around it at night and be left alone. Girard park area right next to campus is kind of mixed, since its the biggest park and I dont really trust it at night just like I dont trust any park at night. But I have crossed it after dark following late classes or clubs without incident too.

Basically, once you cross University ave you are approaching the southside and it gets progressively better the further South on Johnston Street that you go. If you are willing to drive a bit, you have a huge number of housing options, as most of Lafayette is actually pretty safe. It is concentrated areas on certain streets closer to the northside that give it a bad reputation. However, the very upper northside past Pont Des mouton once again becomes a very nice and safe area.

I hope this helps you.

[TexanWest]

That was a great reply, Innotech! I am in Texas and am considering attending ULL in the spring of 2009 (I was accepted into a grad program there in 2000, but debt held me back). I visited ULL back in 2000, but I didn't have much info on housing, and I just started getting data on that.

For me, I don't mind driving to school (I got my first BA and MA at a commuter school, anyways, so I'm pretty used to it), so I'm hoping to find a quiet (that's the most important thing for me), reasonably priced place to rent, even if it's not close to campus. Your message gave me a great place to start! Thanks!

[bridgetsmom]

OMG Innotech - you are wonderful! Many thanks for the information!

[lgllanclos]

bridgetsmom, will your daughter have a vehicle?

[bridgetsmom]

yes, we're planning on one -tell me why you're asking....

[Innotech]

because if your daughter has one getting around Lafayette will be infinitely easier.

[bpb2221]

Ok, first do not live at Legacy Apartments on Campus. I have a very good fried who was robbed at gunpoint while getting out of his vehicle by several thugs. I graduated from ULL and always knew the area around the park was dangerous, but this only reinforced my beliefs. They fled back in the park (right across the street) and the cops wouldn't do anything about it. I wouldn't walk in the park at night unless I was with a large group of people.
Like Innotech said, don't go across University, away from campus. Unless you are ok with the traditional 2am drive away from the club area known as "The strip".
I wouldn't live at Bayou Shadows (friends home broken into at gunpoint, luckily he was taking out the trash and had his CCW on him) either. University House is new, so I haven't heard anything bad about it yet.

I don't think anybody has listed a price range yet.

[Innotech]

Originally Posted by bpb2221

Ok, first do not live at Legacy Apartments on Campus. I have a very good fried who was robbed at gunpoint while getting out of his vehicle by several thugs. I graduated from ULL and always knew the area around the park was dangerous, but this only reinforced my beliefs. They fled back in the park (right across the street) and the cops wouldn't do anything about it. I wouldn't walk in the park at night unless I was with a large group of people.
Like Innotech said, don't go across University, away from campus. Unless you are ok with the traditional 2am drive away from the club area known as "The strip".
I wouldn't live at Bayou Shadows (friends home broken into at gunpoint, luckily he was taking out the trash and had his CCW on him) either. University House is new, so I haven't heard anything bad about it yet.

I don't think anybody has listed a price range yet.

being robbed at gunpoint is more of a chance thing and not indicative of bad areas. Especially around here. I have known people living in Bayou Shadows and surrounding the university for mamny years with no incident. People were also robbed at gunpoint at the grand theater 16 in town and thats in a pretty nice area. Its scary but its not that common. The nicer the area, the more chance of people robbing that area because people have money. thats in any city and Lafayette is no different. That said, Id live in Bayou shadows or Legacy. Just keep your wits about you and watch your surroundings and take a self defense course if youd like. I feel pretty safe in most areas of Lafayette.

[bpb2221]

Originally Posted by Innotech

I have known people living in Bayou Shadows and surrounding the university for mamny years with no incident. People were also robbed at gunpoint at the grand theater 16 in town and thats in a pretty nice area. Its scary but its not that common. The nicer the area, the more chance of people robbing that area because people have money. thats in any city and Lafayette is no different.

True, as both incidents happened after midnight, but I still wouldn't live in either. FYI there is section 8 housing (right across from Red's) right down the road from the grand 16. Greenbriar used to be one of the safest neighborhoods in town until section 8 moved in. Then as if by automagic robbery, car theft, and burglary began to happen in that area.

The facts do not back up your assertion that robbery occurs more in nice areas. River Ranch is perhaps the nicest area in town and robbery certain is a very rare occurrence as opposed to say the 70501 zip code.

For anyone who wants real statistics, visit the Lafayette Police Department's Crime Map:
CrimeView Community Calls For Service Map
It is a really cool map application that plots out crimes in an area up to 1 mile radius for the last 90 days.